Catechism Links[1]
CCC 522,
711-716, 722:
The prophets and the expectation of the Messiah
CCC 523,
717-720:
The mission of John the Baptist
CCC 1427-1429: Conversion of the
baptized
 |
| “ by Hieronymus Bosch, 1495-1500 |
Note:
The Solemnity
of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary is transferred to
Monday, December 9th this year and is not a Holy Day of Obligation. It supersedes the Optional Memorial for St.
Juan Diego [United States].
Reading 1:
Isaiah 11:1-10
On that day, a shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse,
and from his roots a bud shall blossom.
The spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him:
a spirit of wisdom and of understanding,
a spirit of counsel and of strength,
a spirit of knowledge and of fear of the Lord,
and his delight shall be the fear of the Lord.
Not by appearance shall he judge,
nor by hearsay shall he decide,
but he shall judge the poor with justice,
and decide aright for the land’s afflicted.
He shall strike the ruthless with the rod of his mouth,
and with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked.
Justice shall be the band around his waist,
and faithfulness a belt upon his hips.
Then the wolf shall be a guest of the lamb,
and the leopard shall lie down with the kid;
the calf and the young lion shall browse together,
with a little child to guide them.
The cow and the bear shall be neighbors,
together their young shall rest;
the lion shall eat hay like the ox.
The baby shall play by the cobra’s den,
and the child lay his hand on the adder’s lair.
There shall be no harm or ruin on all my holy mountain;
for the earth shall be filled with knowledge of the Lord,
as water covers the sea.
On that day, the root of Jesse,
set up as a signal for the nations,
the Gentiles shall seek out,
for his dwelling shall be glorious.
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Commentary on
Is
11:1-10
Isaiah predicts that the line of
David will produce the messiah with the first verse: “stump of Jesse,”
King David’s father. The stump refers to the line of David being cut back
during the Babylonian Exile. For the first time in scripture, the prophet then
presents the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit.[5]
(Note also the reference to fullness. In Hebrew numerology the number seven is
the perfect number.) In the Septuagint and the Vulgate, the word
"piety" is coupled with “fear of the Lord.”
The description of the gifts of the
Holy Spirit is followed with a list of the just and compassionate
characteristics of the messianic rule. This is followed by a picture of
universal peace under the messiah’s rule. Isaiah sees the return of the
messianic king as predicting that the messiah will come from King David’s line
and will ultimately bring great peace. The term used, “on all my holy
mountain” indicates this peace is for all the faithful, not just those in
Jerusalem.
CCC: Is 11:1-9 672; Is
11:1-2 712,
1831; Is 11:2 436,
536, 1286
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Responsorial Psalm:
Psalm 72:1-2, 7-8, 12-13,
17
R. (cf. 7) Justice shall flourish in his time, and
fullness of peace for ever.
O God, with your judgment endow the king,
and with your justice, the king’s son;
he shall govern your people with justice
and your afflicted ones with judgment.
R. Justice
shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.
Justice shall flower in his days,
and profound peace, till the moon be no more.
May he rule from sea to sea,
and from the River to the ends of the earth.
R. Justice
shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.
For he shall rescue the poor when he cries out,
and the afflicted when he has no one to help him.
He shall have pity for the lowly and the poor;
the lives of the poor he shall save.
R. Justice
shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.
May his name be blessed forever;
as long as the sun his name shall remain.
In him shall all the tribes of the earth be blessed;
all the nations shall proclaim his happiness.
R. Justice
shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on
Ps
72:1-2, 7-8, 12-13, 17
Psalm 72 is one
of the royal psalms. In this selection, we hear an echo of the justice and
peace of the king’s rule that is reiterated in Isaiah’s prophecy (see Isaiah 11:1-10
above).
-------------------------------------------
Reading II:
Romans 15:4-9
Brothers and sisters:
Whatever was written previously was written for our instruction,
that by endurance and by the encouragement of the Scriptures
we might have hope.
May the God of endurance and encouragement
grant you to think in harmony with one another,
in keeping with Christ Jesus,
that with one accord you may with one voice
glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Welcome one another, then, as Christ welcomed you,
for the glory of God.
For I say that Christ became a minister of the circumcised
to show God’s truthfulness,
to confirm the promises to the patriarchs,
but so that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy.
As it is written:
Therefore, I
will praise you among the Gentiles
and sing
praises to your name.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on
Rom
15:4-9
In the first paragraph of this
passage, St. Paul speaks of “what was written previously." The
apostle was referring to v.3: "For Christ did not please himself; but,
as it is written, 'The insults of those who insult you fall upon me,'"
a paraphrase from Psalm
69, which in turn refers to messianic suffering on our behalf.
Through that vision comes the hope of the faithful, and Paul’s encouragement to
be unified in that common hope.
The second paragraph calls for
unity among all who believe in Christ. He did not come only to fulfill the
Hebrew prophecy (“the promises to the patriarchs”) but to all peoples.
In the verse immediately following this selection he cites Deuteronomy 32:43 as
his source.
CCC: Rom 12-15 1454,
1971; Rom 15:5-6 2627; Rom
15:5 520
-------------------------------------------
Gospel
Matthew 3:1-12
John the Baptist appeared, preaching in the desert of Judea
and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of
heaven is at hand!”
It was of him that the prophet Isaiah had spoken when he said:
A voice of one
crying out in the desert,
Prepare the way
of the Lord,
make straight
his paths.
John wore clothing made of camel’s hair
and had a leather belt around his waist.
His food was locusts and wild honey.
At that time Jerusalem , all Judea ,
and the whole region around the Jordan
were going out to him
and were being baptized by him in the Jordan
River
as they acknowledged their sins.
When he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees
coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers!
Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?
Produce good fruit as evidence of your repentance.
And do not presume to say to yourselves,
‘We have Abraham as our father.’
For I tell you,
God can raise up children to Abraham from these stones.
Even now the ax lies at the root of the trees.
Therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit
will be cut down and thrown into the fire.
I am baptizing you with water, for repentance,
but the one who is coming after me is mightier than I.
I am not worthy to carry his sandals.
He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
His winnowing fan is in his hand.
He will clear his threshing floor
and gather his wheat into his barn,
but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on
Mt 3:1-12
This Gospel passage from St.
Matthew introduces St. John the Baptist. The Gospel author does not, as St.
Luke does in his account (Luke
3:2ff), make it clear that St. John is a relative of Jesus or say
anything about his origins. The Baptist is making the preparatory statements to
the people that will open the way for Jesus’ own ministry.
St. John is calling for repentance,
a change of heart and conduct that will lead the faithful back to God. His
attire recalls that of the prophet Elijah (who was expected to return to
prepare for the final establishment of God’s Kingdom according to Hebrew
tradition - Malachi 3:23-24 [6]).
We are told that he (John the Baptist) is the one predicted by the Prophet
Isaiah in Isaiah 40:3.
The Baptist has harsh words for the
Pharisees and Sadducees who had apparently come to his ritual bath with an
attitude that they did not need to repent since they are already keeping Mosaic
Law scrupulously. The Baptist tells them that, while they may keep the Law,
there is no conversion of heart and God will see that.
The passage concludes with St.
John’s prediction of the coming of the Messiah who will “baptize you with
the Holy Spirit and fire.” This final reference to judgment uses the image
of the harvest, where chaff is separated from grain by throwing both into the
air and letting the heavier grain fall back to the ground, while the useless
chaff is blown away and later collected and burned.
-------------------------------------------
Homily:
St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church is a welcoming community that exists to make and equip missionary disciples through a transformative encounter with Jesus Christ, the Gate of Heaven. As spirit-filled disciples, we connect and share life together, love and serve the greater community, and worship and adore the living God.
I’d like to focus on a
couple of aspects of this vision in light of the Advent season. First is the idea that Jesus is the “Gate of
Heaven” and what walking through that gate means. Second we will also see in the context of our
worship, the possibility of a transformative encounter with Jesus Christ.
The feast of St. Nicholas
was celebrated on the 6th of December. If all of the “Black Friday” and post Black
Friday deals had not alerted us through the secular channel, St. Nicholas feast
would certainly alert us that the Christmas is quickly approaching.
Advent for the Catholic
Church has two distinct characters or focuses.
In scripture today we see both of those characters and, because of the
appearance of St. John the Baptist, we are also reminded what the season should
mean for us from a very practical perspective.
First the two characters
of Advent. As any of our children can
tell you, Advent means we are looking forward to Jesus’ birthday. That wondrous event that took place in a
manger in Bethlehem over two thousand years ago. All of the pronouncements surrounding that
event are anticipatory. The have us look
forward to a time of peace in the world and joy for all mankind. Looking at the cinematic treatment of the
season which supports the commercial thrust, we also see the ideals for
Christian behavior associated with the coming of Jesus birth: selfless giving
of gifts, almsgiving and Christian Charity. (Of course from the commercial and
secular side, we also see the ulterior motive of consumer avarice.)
The second character of Advent
is looking forward to the promised coming of Jesus in glory; when he will come
again. Our anticipation of this event is
more in line with what John the Baptist spoke about in the Gospel of St. Matthew.
Scholars
have called St. John the Baptist “The
Last Prophet.” His coming was an
important event for the original audience of St. Matthew who were primarily
Christians that had converted from Judaism.
Not only does St. John come fulfilling the prediction of the great
Prophet Isaiah as the “one crying out in
the desert” Isaiah 40:3, but he comes in that eccentric style and
manner: “John
wore clothing made of camel’s hair and had a leather belt around his waist. His
food was locusts and wild honey.”
To us that may seem like simply adding color to this charismatic
preacher. But to St. Matthew’s readers,
those who first read his Gospel, the Baptist’s eccentricity had another
meaning. There was a much earlier
prophet similarly described, Elijah, whose exploits and calls for repentance
are recorded in the Books of Kings. We note some specific life-style parallels.
For instance:
“You shall drink of the wadi, and I have commanded ravens to feed
you there. So he left and did as the LORD had commanded. He left and remained
by the Wadi Cherith, east of the Jordan. Ravens brought him bread and meat in
the morning, and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the wadi.” (1 Kings 17:4-6)
And another section describes him: “’What was the man like who
met you and said these things to you?’ They replied, ‘He wore a hairy garment
with a leather belt around his waist.’ ‘It is Elijah the Tishbite!’ he
exclaimed.” (2 Kings 1:7-8)
The prophet Micah famously predicted that before the Messiah would
come, Elijah would return.
“Now I am sending to you Elijah the prophet, before the day of
the LORD comes.” (Micah 3:23-24)
St. John, in style, mannerisms, and message, fulfills the essence
of this prediction. So when the Last Prophet calls out that: “one is coming, whose sandals he is not
worthy to tie,” and that person turns out to be Jesus, the Hebrew
prerequisites are satisfied, the Messiah has come.
St. John’s call to repentance
echoes the Lenten idea of repentance, or preparing ourselves to meet the Lord
when he comes again. We make those
preparations by doing our best to conform out minds to that of Christ. He is, as our vison of Church proclaims, the “Gate
of Heaven.” (Genesis 28:17b)
This idea of conforming our selves to the mind of Jesus is supremely important. It is a way of purifying ourselves through
action. It is a way of creating a
mindset that will bring peace and joy, if not to the whole world, at least to that
small part which you share with others.
Today we look forward to a
true encounter with the Lord Jesus in the Eucharist, the gift the Lord entrusted
to the Church so that all might find him and be lead through the “Gate of
Heaven.”
We must, however, take a
close look at the Voice, as St. John is often called. He passionately calls the world to conversion
(looking back to our vision, one of the key synonyms for conversion is transformation,
hence a transformative encounter). That
word “conversion” is one that gives us some trouble. We say “trouble” because when we hear that we
are called to conversion we generally think: “Well gee, I’m already
converted. I believe in God and Jesus.
Conversion is for those people who don’t believe.”
But we ask ourselves:
- o
Have I converted from the secular mindset of spending because it is
expected by other?
- o
Have I converted from only thinking of myself and what others will do
for me?
- o
Have I converted from the greed and waste that comes from a society
that is quick to discard what is out of date rather than no longer functional?
- o
Have I converted from spending my time entertaining myself on TV, or games,
or other recreation at the expense of my faith development?
The Baptist cries ““Repent,
for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah.
As we continue our Advent
preparation, waiting for the Lord, may we be reminded that, when he comes, he
will see if we have made that very individual and personal decision to follow
him. If we have done so, the great reward promised by the Father will be ours when
he comes again.
Pax
[1]
Catechism links are taken from the Homiletic Directory, published by the Congregation for
Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, 29 June 2014.
[2]
The picture used is “St. John the Baptist in
the Wilderness” by Hieronymus Bosch, 1495-1500
[4]
The readings are taken from the New American Bible, with the exception of the
psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for
English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is
for private use only.
[5]
From the Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph
1831 “The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are wisdom, understanding, counsel,
fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord. They belong in their
fullness to Christ, Son of David. They complete and perfect the virtues of
those who receive them. They make the faithful docile in readily obeying divine
inspirations."
[6]
Note in many older Bible translations, taken from the Latin Vulgate, this
citation is Malachi 4:1-5. In the
original Hebrew and in the Septuagint there were three (3) chapters. In the Latin Vulgate, there were 4. The break point was at 3:19.
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